Khass

a form of feudal landownership in Muslim countries during the Middle Ages. Khass lands were the domain of the ruler and his family and included both private holdings (mulk) and entire cities and regions declared to be khass. Taxes collected from khass lands went to a special department that administered these lands rather than to the state treasury. Under the Ottoman Empire, “khass” referred to the holdings of viziers and emirs that yielded annual revenues of at least 100,000 akchehs (a small silver coin). The noun form of “khass” is frequently used in the sense of “the elect” or “the elite,” as opposed to “the rabble.”